Protest fights purchase by Beverlywood developer in Baldwin Hills
Demonstration argues investment by local businessman would harm Crenshaw neighborhood; deal is later called of
January 13, 2021
About 45 peaceful protesters gathered at Circle Park in Beverlywood Nov. 29 to protest a planned purchase of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall by Asher Abehsera, a real estate developer who lives on Sawyer Street.
Activists with the group Downtown Crenshaw, which hopes to purchase and redevelop the mall itself, marched from Circle Park to Mr. Abehsera’s house waving signs and chanting.
They wanted the shopping center’s ownership to remain in the Black community, arguing that it would cause gentrification and would hurt the neighborhood.
“He’s coming in our community, disrupting the Black and brown community of Crenshaw, and since we’re here we will make it uncomfortable for him,” said Kim Yergan, a protester interviewed at the demonstration by the Youtube channel WYSIWYG-TV.
“Because once he takes over the Crenshaw mall, then he’s gonna displace most of the residents in the Crenshaw community and the prices are gonna get higher. So it’s the beginning of gentrification, and we can’t let that happen,”
As they marched, the protestors shouted chants including, “Gentrifier you can’t hide, we can see your greedy side,” and “Fight, fight, fight, housing is a human right.”
Mr. Abehsera is CEO of the real estate company LIVWRK, which had successfully bid for the mall along with a New York-based partner company, DFH Partners. According to some media reports LVWRK has ties with Jared Kushner, president Trump’s advisor. But Mr. Kushner does not appear as a principle or in any other capacity on the websites of LIVWRK or DFH.
Mr. Abehsera himself could not be reached for comment, but some neighbors defended him. “He has a right to buy whatever he wants to buy — this is America,” said Rabbi Moshe Parry, also interviewed on WYSIWYG-TV during the demonstration. “He has a right to outbid whoever he wants to outbid… It’s not going to hurt them, it’s going to help them bring jobs, industry, goods, services, it’s just going to help.”
During the march, vehicles from the Los Angeles Police Department and private Beverlywood security companies blocked access to Sawyer Street. At least three LAPD vehicles were present during the protest.
Department officials told WYSIWYG-TV that they expected a counter demonstration, but it appeared that only a few neighbors came to the area, some complaining that the marchers were frightening women and children and others defending Mr. Abehsera’s mall purchase.
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza has 869,000 square feet and is located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Baldwin Hills, which is just east of Culver City on the other side of Kenneth Hahn State Park and La Cienega Boulevard. The mall has has a movie theatre, restaurants, and stores including Macy’s and Forever 21.
On Dec. 11, Downtown Crenshaw announced the deal with LIVWRK and DFH had been terminated.
“This is a tremendous Black community victory and testament to the power of the people,” said Niki Okuk, chair of Downtown Crenshaw, in a statement. “Downtown Crenshaw stood up and defeated… an unqualified out of-town Trump-Kushner development partner, who sought to do harm to our beloved Crenshaw.”
